For Their Sake
by Mouse13
Summary: It's Mouse, not Mouse13. Zel is said to dead, and the Slayers are need to save the world agian. But will someone the meet on this quest really help them save the world or this there something else going that they don't know about?
1. Coffee

I don't own Slayers. *Warning* I'm new to this If it looks weird, give me break; I'm learning.  
  
Setting in an inn the Slayers group was having a "normal" meal; Lina, Gourry and Amelia were once more fighting over their food while Zelgadis, our favorite man of stone, was sipping his coffee and looking out into space, thinking. Thinking about his inward battle, and how that war was going.  
The Darkness is slowly creeping in  
  
I fight it but  
  
I'm growing tired of fighting  
  
in fact sometime I feel like giving in  
  
but for their sakes  
  
I can't  
  
but I'm tired  
  
The Darkness knows this  
  
that's why it buys its time  
  
Darkness enjoys my pain  
  
I HATE Darkness  
  
But for now Darkness sleeps  
  
letting me regain strength  
  
Darkness never strikes when I'm weak.  
  
Why?  
  
To tired to think  
  
Must sleep; keep Darkness at bay  
  
So tried, why doesn't Darkness take me?  
  
What is it waiting for?  
  
My submission  
  
It shall never have my submission  
  
For their sakes  
  
Darkness shall never have my submission  
  
Darkness shall never own me  
  
Yet one day, I'll fall  
  
I fear that day  
  
Until then I'll fight  
  
I must fight  
  
So tried, but I must fight  
  
For their sakes, I'll fight.  
"Zelgadis-san?" asked Amelia "Are you alright you, look really tried all of sudden."  
  
Zelgadis yawn and stretched "Yeah, I'm fine, just tired," had said I grow tied of fighting, but I can't let them know about this inward fight, this is one battle I must fight alone. "I think I'll go bed see you guys in the morning." And with that he head up the stairs. For their sakes I must fight.  
For how long?  
You know that they won't be around forever  
  
and when they fall  
  
so shall you.  
  
That's why I wait  
  
You know their smiles are lies  
  
That their words are fake  
  
So why do you fight for them?  
  
You'll tried, soon  
  
Soon you won't fight me.  
  
Nay you'll accept me with open arms  
  
for I shall end all your pain.  
  
So fight Human,  
  
feed me your hurt  
make me strong as you weaken  
  
To say the I delight in your agony  
  
is to sell your heartache short.  
  
Hate me with all your might  
  
It well make your take over just that more sweeter.  
  
So tell me  
  
Human  
  
How long will you fight for their sake?  
Forever and longer  
  
You shall never have me  
  
By L-sams's grace I'll die taking you with me.  
Zelgadis tossed in is sleep as another battle took place in the landscape of his mind. Demon and human fighting to control the same vessel, ones there do to birth right, the other, implanted, like a weed in a garden. The only one to know of the fight now hovers in the space above the bed, his head just brushing the ceiling, Xellos frown. How much longer would this human last and when he finally falls what kind of demon will he let into this world. Xellos shuddered for being demon himself (full not just a third) he knew that what the human fought nightly was a demon he would never like to meet. He smiled, him, Xellos: the killer of dragons (killing them with just one monition, I remind you), was afraid of this construct, this chimera? As hard as it was to swallow, he was, so in that small space above he hoped, beyond all hopes that the human would once more win this fight to night. For their sake (Lina, Gourry, Amelia) no for the sake of the world he must win this fight against Darkness. So it is that nearly nightly Zelgadis Greywood fight, for his humanity, for his friends, he fights, but a soul can grow tried of fight. How long can he fight the Darkness he asks himself with the rising of the new sun. How long until the Darkness well finally be welcome in your heart? How long can you run from your shadow? When shall you fall? L-sams help them, when shall you fall? 


	2. Death by sleep

Part 2  
  
The sand stretched out before Zelgadis as the moon bore down upon him, he sighed, it had been months since he last seen his friends and to be true full he missed them right now. But lately Darkness had been gaining ground, he was losing the fight. Absently he figured Amelia's bracelet, this was the only way out, the only way to protect them. Up above Xellos watch as Zel's sleep deprived form walked over the dunes.  
When did the Darkness start wining?  
  
When did submission sound so good?  
  
It would be nice to  
  
Not to fight  
  
But what about them?  
  
Why won't the sand take me?  
  
To end it all would be so grand  
  
Save them the pain  
  
Of my demise  
  
So tired, but I must fight  
  
Don't I?  
  
I have to win Right?  
  
For their sake  
  
But I long for need rest  
  
Darkness is strong  
  
I'm broken  
  
So tired  
  
Of fighting  
  
But I have to  
  
For, whose sake  
  
Amelia please forgive  
  
Justice can't always win  
  
Sometimes it's the darkness that dose  
With that Zel's form clasped only to be caught by Xellos, if his mind was more alter Zel would have fought the monster off ( Xellos hoped that he would) but Zel only looked up at his "savoir". Xellos knew that this was coming when Zelgadis did not stop at the last watering hole, and he had been following the Chimera ever since. The distance look in Zel's eyes told him that he was too late to help, and that this was the last battle of Zel's eight year war. Gently Xellos laid him in the sand.  
"It's okay to rest now" Xellos whispered softly "Sleep now, no one needs it more than you."  
  
Zel reached for Amelia's bracelet and placed it in Xellos's hand "Tell her I'm sorry that I could not return it in person. Tell her that I did love her. Tell her. Tell her that sometime for justice to succeed that it must die along with the darkness." With that Zelgadis closed his eyes and finally slept.  
  
Xellos hung his head, than clutching the blue stone of justice he cried out into the night sky "Why? Was this poor soul placed on this earth only to suffer, to know only heartache, to be beaten down at every turn? What kind of sick joke was his life made in to, was it all because the Gods need an assigned guy of august? Why was he forced to live and die alone, for once in his life could he not have peace in know that they where by his side? Why?" The wind danced around the two forms as an old lady and a tall man with long blond hair walked up upon the scene.  
  
"All thing happen for a reason, demon" the old lady said "even you know that, but this is one time that fate dose not feel like say why. True this was a good heart and brave man whose life of pain end with the use of his own hands, but if he had not done this the darkness would have taken him, then the world. You know this already; think of it a monster unhurt by physical mean, unhurt by joy, unhurt and unbeatable. Darkness can't live without light.  
  
That's why your kinds fight is fruitless.  
  
Wrong can't live if there is no right.  
  
This makes the world's color hue less.  
  
They are born two side same  
  
of one coin.  
  
Sometimes they do well in the hater's game,  
  
so says the lamb and lion.  
  
But death for both sometimes comes,  
  
when they are equal in strength and amount  
  
and no head way can be done.  
  
Do you doubt,  
  
Knight of Night, in the face of the child of Light  
  
that all will be made, by this act, right?  
Just think of it as payment for all the good deeds Lina and company have done and you should get past this just fine."  
With that that man with blond hair picked up Zelgadis's form and the two vanished into the night. Xellos look after them and then turned to the stars, he knew of the heartache that was to follow with the bringing of this news, the question was how to tell Amelia this without destroying her? He look down at the blue stone with the justice seal on it tied to a pink band, and was quickly made aware of the breaking of his own heart.  
  
Dead? Zel is Dead? Humm maybe, but I'm not going to say on way or another you just going to have to read and find out for yourself. By the way I still not own them. 


	3. You will be missed

OH, What do you do with Zel's Body/ What do you do with Zel's Body/ What do you do with Zel's Body/ Early in the plot line?/ Stick him a sub-plot/ Make him suffer/ Stick him a sub-plot/ Make him suffer/ Stick him a sub-plot/ Make him suffer/ Early in the plot line/  
  
Sorry, I got carried away there, at any rate, here's the next chapter, enjoy! And no I don't own Slayers. ~`*~`* ^_^ *`~*`~  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOHuhOOOO!" cried Amelia as Gourry tried to comfort her. Lina looked out the window, her eyes blood shot from crying, for once in her life she felt completely lost. Zel was dead; Zelgadis Grayword was dead, that overly self absorbed walking boulder was dead, now what was she supposes to do? Who would she talk to about serious matter, now? She looked across the room to where Xellos stood, still, quite, with his head bent down; he had not moved from the spot from where he had told Amelia the bad news. He looked just as lost as she felt; of course he would, since his all- you-can-eat-buffet just die. Lina walked out of the room she needed to blow something up, really bad, and she couldn't do that here.  
  
Xellos noticed her leaving and figured out why, Lina always did deal with her emotions better if something exploded, he thought. His eyes turned to Amelia and Gourry, Gourry had claimed her down some, but Amelia was still sobbing. This would make a good meal if I had an appetite, he thought. He knew that this was going to be hard on them but he had no clue that he too would grieve like this, if muzskos could cry he would have already. "Please, Amelia, understand that the desert is a harsh place, a barren waste land, it claims lives everyday, to it Zelgadis was just another life it could take," that did not come out right thought Xellos, he had decide not to tell the really reason Zelgadis die. After all if Zelgadis died with it being a secret than he would keep it as such, beside secrets were the one thing he's good at keeping.  
  
"But why?" she cried  
  
"No water; no life, Zelgadis's canteen was dried when I found him," replied Xellos.  
  
"His body?"  
  
"It was better left were it was, decay had already set in., it wasn't a pretty sight Princess." See secrets, the one thing he could keep that would never die on him.  
  
"Now what do we do?" asked Gourry  
  
"I don't know Gourry, I don't know," replied the trickster priest, his voice sounding with unwept able tears.  
  
~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`~`*~` *  
Else where, the old lady and the blond hair man sat watching, Zelgadis form, as a younger woman walked into the room. The new arrival was well endowed, to say the least, and had an unlit cigarette in her mouth, "Are you sure he's going to make it?"  
  
"I'm sure" the old lady replied "He's already over the worst of it, it just a matter of time now, and a matter of keeping what we're doing a secret. Should Loki figure out what we are doing than very thing will be for not, it a good thing your 'servant' thinks he is dead."  
  
"True, things should go smoothly now, but do you think he'll go along with this once he wakes up?"  
  
"For their sakes I hope he dose." ~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`~`*~` *  
Filia walked the streets of Saillune, it had been a long time since she had seen Lina and company but now was no time to think about old time, no she had another mission for them and she hoped that they would not let her down. It had been six months since Zelgadis-san death and from what she had learned about things, Lina and Gourry were stay near Saillune in order to keep and eye on Amelia. She sighed out of everybody that Zelgadis had meet and affected in his life time, Amelia, was hit the hardest by the news, the poor thing. She had even heard that Xellos would pop up every now and then and try to cheer the Princess up. Now, that she thought about it seemed that Xellos too was hard hit be Zel-gadis's death, she wondered why that was? What was Xellos not tell them about Zelgadis's death? Oh well, she'll would beat that out of him later, right now she had to get to Lina, tell her the problem, and go before the babysitter started to worry. She found them in a small inn near the palace, to her surprise both Lina and Gourry were eating normal size meals and Amelia was sipping on some coffee, her meal already done. Clearly Zel - gadis's death had more effect on them than she thought it would. Now, not to sound cold hearted or anything, but Filia only spent a short two weeks cry over Zel - gadis's death, but then again she really didn't know Zel - gadis that well. What am I going to do if they're too depress to go, she worried. Oh well here goes everything. I just hope she doesn't fireball me for this.  
Mouse- Yeah I'm a stinker, cutting it off without saying why Filia is there, oh well. As for those space in Zel's name will I haven't seen that much of Try yet but I get the idea that she mainly hears being called Zel though she know that she full name is Zelgadis, and seeing how he is now dead it would be polite to call him by his full name, but old habits die hard so.. I was going to wait for some more reviews, but I got the "Don't kill Zel" responds that I want already so I decide to post it.(Wish there where more though, Don't You People Like Zel?) And about the question is Zel dead, Alea Seikou, hum no I won't say, but do keep your eyes open, you might find something in the next chapter that might make you feel better. ^_^ 


	4. A Quest, a Plot, and Someone New Both Fr

Filia, stood in front of the groups table and gave a little cough, Amelia was the first to notice her.  
  
"Hello, Filia-san, what are doing here? Is little Val with you?" she asked.  
  
"I'm here to inform you that you are needed to save the world again," she replied "And no Val is not with me, I left him at home and I kind of needed to get back before the babysitter starts worrying."  
  
"What is it this time?" Lina asked half heartedly.  
  
Filia blinked no fireballs, no demand of payment, what happen? Oh well, better say what you have to and run "Well, it's like this ... you see Shabranigdu has a daughter, who was sealed up a long time ago because, well she was just too destructive, and now someone is trying to set her free and.."  
  
"What?!" screeched Lina  
  
"Shabranigdu has a daughter ."  
  
"That's what I thought I'd heard."  
  
"So, you'll do it?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Don't know about what?" came a filmier cheerful voice.  
  
"Xellos? Well its official we're need to save the world again," chilled Lina.  
  
"Sorry to be the barer of bad news. again, but, yes you are," was Xellos's reply.  
  
"Why are the mazkous worried about this?" asked Filia  
  
"Who do think sealed her up in the first place?" Xellos growled.  
  
*Growled, since when did Xellos growled and where is his normal smug domineer? Wait, he didn't do 'that's a secret' thing! What's wrong with him?* thought Filia.  
  
While Xellos was yelling at Filia he happen to notice a very faint yet falmure aura scanning the room quickly Xellos figured that it was coming from a young human male that was exiting the inn. The boy, no older than 18, smiled at him before he left the inn and then faded, muzkou style faded. Xellos had to blink at that, what was going on here, as far as he knew there were no new muzkou, especial one that could take on a semi-human aura. He would ask about it later, right now, there where other thing to deal with. Like city guards running into the inn.  
  
"Princess Amelia, someone as broken into one of the ancient temples," one of them braked.  
  
"What?"  
  
With that the Slayers group rushed out of the inn following the guards to the ramshackle temple.  
  
~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`  
Meanwhile on a hill outside the city the young man was smiling, he could hear the commotion from the city below, and knew full well what it was about.  
  
"You should not have shown yourself to Xellos" came a cold voice from behind.  
"But Lady Zelas, where would the fun be in that? Beside its high time that he had his own mind played with" the lad smirked.  
  
"Asim, you know that now he'll start asking questions, besides this was suppose to be a in and out job. THAT MEANT THAT YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSE TO STOP FOR COFFEE!" yelled the Dark Lord.  
  
"But I like coffee," Asim whined "beside it's been two days since I had a cup and I was really being to shake."  
  
"You and your coffee," grumbled Zelas as lit one of her cigarettes.  
  
"At least my addiction won't cause me to have trouble breathing or cause per-mature wrinkles."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Asim smiled, and walked away from the dumbfound Dark Lord.  
  
"Where do you think your going?" she recovered.  
  
"To Atlas City."  
  
"Yeah I'm suppose to "fade" you into town, remember?"  
  
"I know, but know that Lina and Co. are on the case, well.. I think some competition would be nice and zapping to place to place just isn't fair. Besides I know where the runes lay and how to break the seals, and zapping was kind of giving me a headache any way."  
  
"In other words you want to meet up with them, and going adventuring with, correct?" Asim turned and looked at Zelas, there was a look of long about his eyes.  
  
Zelas sighed "I know you're lonely and I can feel your pain, but it's just for this mission. Remember, should things go south you are the only back up plan we got."  
  
"Look I promise I won't get myself killed and I won't tell the other the truth if I meet them, okay."  
  
"And what about Xellos?"  
  
"Mind games can be fun," chuckled Asim.  
  
"Oh why did I let Xellos genetic data go free?" the Dark Lord asked to Asim's back.  
  
"Because deep down you like guys that can aggravate people seven ways until Sunday," was the distant reply she got for Asim  
~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`  
Are heroes where looking at a ransacked room, the furniture was tossed about, a window was broken but all in all it didn't look like anything was taken from the room.  
  
"Looks like the thief don't find what he was looking for," said Lina after they searched the room.  
  
"Yeah," replied Gourry "the only thing that seems to be missing is this title," pointing at a gap in the walls design.  
  
"A title?" mused Amelia "Why would they want a title?"  
  
"Because its one of the titles needed to set Nemeses free, that's why." Xellos stated half heartedly.  
  
"His right," gasped Filia "Look it reads here (pointing to the titles surround the gap)  
Light seals way the darkness,  
  
In order to protect from harm  
  
Those the darkness would consume  
  
To blot out the Light with this stone  
  
One must say the words  
  
That lies within.  
"It must be a spell for breaking the seal around the title," she continued.  
"So I guess this means that the bad guys are one up on us already," said Lina "Amelia how soon can you be ready to go?"  
"I'm not sure but I should be able to be ready by tomorrow."  
  
"Good, Gourry and I well get thing ready."  
  
"Aren't you forgetting something?" asked Filia  
  
"Like what?" question Lina.  
  
"Like where the next piece is?" snared Filia, while looking at Xellos.  
  
"The nearest piece is in Atlas City." Sighed Xellos  
  
"Well then, next stop is Atlas City," cheered Lina.  
~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`*~`  
Somewhere else in a dark cave, a man in his early 20's stood looking at a large light purple crystal; his back was towards the door way, when a thin panther like creature stalked in.  
  
"Do you have it?" the man asked.  
  
"No Sssire, it wasss gone when I got there," it relied.  
  
"So we have competition do we?" the man smiled  
  
"Yesss, Sssire asss well asss Lina Inaverssse," it informed "I sssaw her withhhh Xellossss, they where talking about ruining your plan, Sssire.  
  
"Humm, so I have two people trying to ruin my plans now do I?" the man sneered "Ahriman, keep and eye on Lina for now, not interfere with her gathering the runes, we can always take them form her later."  
  
"Isss that all Masster?" asked Ahriman.  
  
"Yes, well have Lina find are other foe, and if we're lucky she'll destroy him for us. Never hurt your foe if you can have your enemies do it for you." The man purred.  
With that Ahriman walked out of the cave and darted towards Atlas City.  
  
"Soon everything well fall into place and chaos will run free once more!" the man laughed.  
Mouse- Hi, so that's that chapter what did you think of it? At last I'm getting to main story line, but unfortunately I have no clue as to what's going to happen in Atlas City, so it's going to be a while, unless I come up with and idea really fast.  
Now to respond to a few reviews: Sorry folk, those of you who like my poetry are going to be left high and dry for a while, I don't see where I can fit any of it in anytime soon, but when I can I will. And if the characters are out of character, well I'll try it fix it the best I can, just remember two thing: 1) this is how I see the characters acting and 2) I haven't seen to many of their episodes so my idea may be off. Sorry to disappoint people but that just the way thing are. As for the Amelia and Zel thing I believe in it and their will be undertones of it, but there shall be nothing that happen between them if I can help it (sometime these thing just take on a mind of their own). And for the burning question of this fan fic, just because some people care, have I killed ZeL, '^_^' that for me to know and for you to read. Besides if you think really hard you may just realize who with Zel's body. You found out one of them in chapter. As for resurrecting his muzoku side, humm I didn't think of that. nay, I like my way better. But just to be a pain, in a way they may and may not be trying to resurrect his muzoku side. 


	5. Out of the Loop

The trip to Atlas City was a normal one; bandit's being blown-up, Gourry complaining about being hungry, Lina hitting over the head for saying something dumb, the only thing that was missing with the normal chatter that would have taken place between an overly talkative Princess, and a brooding Chimera. There was only silence there, which at times made the road seem longer.   
  
Not that this bothered Xellos any, after all their pain did make a good meal, besides he had other things to worry about. Like why his mistress was so eager for him to go long with Lina? In fact she did everything but push him out of the door when he came back to report to her that one of the titles where already missing, and he never did get to ask about that guy he saw at the inn. That guy, there was something wrong about him, but what? What was it that person that made him want to jump and flee when he saw him? Why was there this feeling like he knew this person, surly if he did know him he should be able to put a name with the face but he couldn't? Xellos hated being out of the loop, but out he was and it was driving him crazy.  
  
Xellos was brooding (to say the least), but seeing how everyone else was eating at this time no one really took notice of it. As of this moment they were at an inn in Atlas City have lunch, and it really wasn't until Lina and Gourry started to fit over the last bit of chicken that Lina realized that only Amelia was talking, and try to make them stop, Xellos (who would have egged it on) was sitting there looking out into space, not paying one bit of attendance to them. As she thought about it a little more she noted that Xellos was acting like, well, acting like Zel, and he had been ever since he met up with them a few weeks ago. She was so shocked by this thought that she dropped the chicken leg, much to Gourry's glee. Xellos hadn't been bugging them in a long time this could only mean something was wrong, but what? Wanting to know and to aggravate Xellos she threw a dinner roll at his head, causing him to fall out of his chair.  
  
"Hum?" he mumbled, as he returned to the table.  
  
"Okay Xellos, what wrong?" Lina asked bluntly.  
  
"Nothing wrong," he dodged.  
  
"Oh yes there, is you haven't bugged any of us since you got here, your staring of into space, in short if your try imamate Zel then your doing a good job of it," remarked Lina "So what's wrong?!"  
  
"Nothing you need to be concerned about," he snapped "Beside I didn't realized that you liked my teasing that much Lina, I really didn't think you would miss it that much, do you really want me to bug you?" His normal grin began to grow as he watches her eyes grow larger.  
  
"I don't miss it, you idiot, but your freaking me out by not doing it," she grumbled.  
  
"I didn't know you cared," he smirked.  
  
Xellos was making her feel uncomfortable, and he knew it.  
  
"Come on people let's pay and get out of here there a world that needs to be save," Lina said trying to dance over her decision with Xellos.   
  
Xellos smiled,*One confuse Lina, one step closer to figuring out what is wrong. Say I could get us to this* he thought as Lina was paying the bill.  
Meanwhile in the Temple two figures were have a debate on where the best place to look for the title would be, one figure was saying that it would be better to look at the support beams, while the other was saying the floor would be better. To Ahriman, this conversation was a pointless one that had been made one too many times before, and yet he let the to idiot bicker among themselves as he surveyed the room. Ahriman was a Displacer, one of the last of his kind, Displacer have the ability to displace themselves in combat, this makes them hard to hit, not to mention hated, he also had the ability to change shape as well as to see magic. So while the others argued he scanned the room looking for magic, there where spots that made his eyes hurt, the radiated so much magic, but it was old common magic, not that made it hurt any less. Avoiding those areas he continued to scanned, stopping when he came across a different more resent form of magic. He walked over to it, as his 'friends' followed completely out of it, he was smiling to himself one day they would realize that he could see were the title where, but today was not that day, however the moment he got close enough to see where the title should be he found out that it was gone. The magic aura that he had felt was that of the title's release, and not that of the title itself. But it was a fresh aura, that meant that the person that cast it couldn't be far, unless……. he sniffed the air the scent of an odd muzuko was everywhere it was the same one as the one that was at the Sulline, who was this guy and how did he know where to find the titles? Well if it's muzoku then it could be any where by now. So what to do; what to do?  
  
About this time our 'heroes' showed up and upon taking everything in shortly figured out that these guys where not here to sight see.  
  
"Hand over that title right now, and no one will get hurt," Lina cried out.  
  
Ahriman turned to face them. *Well, if it isn't little miss explosion, looks like their having the same bad luck that we are* he thought. "Ssssorry," he hissed "we have other thingsss thhhat need to be done. Maybe nexxxt time we'll play withhh you." And with that he faded his 'group' out of there.  
  
"What is going on here?" asked Lina "Great that means that they're two up on us now. Why is this happing? What is it, is there a limit to how many times a person can save the world? What is wrong with us?"  
  
Xellos shook his head, as Lina continued to rant, this was going to a long quest. "Well the next one is in Perry, may I suggest that we get going before are friends beat us there?" he asked.  
  
"Sure, why not, come on let's get going," she mumbled "And here I was looking forward to blowing something up, too."  
~`**`~  
Down the way (a long way down the road) Asim was smiling happily to himself, two down and five more pieces to go, and here he was thinking that this would be challenge. Oh well, after what he has been through a walk in the park is a nice change so why complain. Well the next stop is Perry, and it's a long way from here to there so he better keep moving after all the world is depending on him.  
  
_________________________________________________________________________________________  
Mouse- Hi, well that's Atlas City, next stop Perry, and once it's written it'll be up. So what do think so far? I know it's dull, but in the next chapter the Slayers (which I do not own) will meet Asim. By the way I also don't own the Displacer Beast that belongs to Wizards of the Coast; you can find him in their Dungeon and Dragons Monster Manual, (2nd edition's picture is the one I looking at, but 3rd edition states is what I'm thinking of, if you want to know). Though I don't think it can change shape or see magic, it dose displace itself in combat giving you a 50/50 chance of hitting it and they are just bad things to run into, any way the Displacer not mine, Ahriman is mine. So thanks for the reviews, until the next chapter, bye. 


	6. Meet Asim

Perry was holding its annual Coffee Festival, much to Asim dismay. Now Asim loves coffee, in fact for the last few miles its sweet aroma was the only thing that had kept him going, but he had a job to do, namely grab tile and run, yet.. oh what the heck, what's one cup of coffee going to do? So off he went to find a cup of coffee weak enough that he could actual drink (thank to his "trainers" he had been forced to cut back on his coffee intake and could no longer stand straight black coffee.) Yes once more the mission has taken a back seat to a good cup of coffee, why did the tile of Fire have to be in a town world famous for its coffee?   
  
A few hours later (a not a single cup a good weaken coffee to be found) Lina and Co. marched into town.   
  
"Zel would have loved this place," came a soft mummer from Amelia as the walked down the streets of the town.  
  
"We don't have time to be down Amelia, there's a world that needs to be saves," cheered Lina. "Now where's that temple?"  
~`*  
  
In the temple, Ahriman was once more scanning while the two idiots were debating again. Same old, same old but this time they were the first ones there.  
  
"Herrre it issss," he hissed as he walked to the alter "Peliasss, the ssseal."  
  
"Aye sir," replied Pelias, who is a normal human mage.   
  
He began to cast some spell to break the seal just as Lina walked through the door.  
  
"Stop right there," she barked.  
  
"Well it looksss like we get to play ssssooner then I thoughhht we would," cooed Ahriman as he made a running attack at them.  
  
"FIREBALL!" screamed Lina, as a sphere of flames came from her hands to hit the `panther that could talk' only to "miss, but I was head on."  
  
Ahriman ignored her and head straight for Amelia at a speed that only left her with enough time to scream. Ahriman smiled as he gained ground on his target, but he never got there, for about the time he would have made his tangle attack, was the time when someone came flying through the window. Caught off guard he swayed off course which gave the new comer enough time to swing his sword and to hit him. Growling Ahriman looked to the alter, in a few minutes it would be out, a few minutes they didn't have for the new comer had by passed him and was now heading for the alter. Thinking quickly Ahriman darted in front of him, the new comer swung his sword once more but this timed missed, and was nearly blow up by another fireball. The new comer cursed under his breath and once more tried to make his way to the alter; only to have his tail fireballed a way from it.  
  
"Got it" cried Pelias.  
  
Smiling Ahriman ran up to his friend and teleported them away.   
  
"NO!" cried Lina. "I can't believe this is happening! Now their three up on us what are we going to do now!"  
  
"Are you o.k.?" Amelia asked the new comer.  
  
"Yeah, I had worse than that," he said as he accepted the hand up from her.  
  
"Which reminds me," replied Lina "Who are you? And why are you after tiles?"  
  
"My name is Asim, and I'm gathering the tile in order to keep them save, it is after all my duty to see that they do not in up in the wrong hands. By the way thank you for helping them," replied the new comer.  
  
"Your job?" asked Lina. "To keep them save?"  
  
"Yes" replied Asim  
  
"What is going on here?"  
  
"You don't know? You took a mission with out learning about? Oh well, no skin off my nose, I'll see you guys later."  
  
"Hold it right there mister, where do you think your going?"  
  
"That's really none of your business, now is it miss?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
By this time Asim was walking out the door.  
  
"Wait sir, I have not thank you, yet for saving me," Amelia ran after him.  
  
"No thanks need," he continued.  
  
"Please, that least let me buy you dinner."  
  
"Is that a date?" he asked as he spun around to face her.  
  
Amelia turned a bright red color, to which Asim laughed at "Just kidding," he smiled "I'll except the offer on one condition, you tell me why your after the titles."  
  
"Oh well Lina was called on to take the job, and one of the titles belong back in Saillune, so.. we're after them in order to save the world," bubbled a still blushing Princess.  
  
"Oh, well it looks like your not doing so well."  
  
"No, we're not."  
  
"Ameliaaa" growled Lina.  
  
"What? He asked."  
  
Lina slammed her palm into her forehead, "As far as we know he could be the enemy."   
  
"Excuse me? Now you look here, my order did not seal up some weirdo monster ( who was the first human to be turn into a mazoku, not to mention the fact that she was a dark shamanism) just so someone with "destroying the world" dreams could wake her up in roughly a 1,000 years from then. Now I didn't know about you but I would like for her to stay where she is at, for now and until the end of time, or the world which ever comes first, and as for the title of Light, well if I knew that it was going to cause me this much of headache I would have asked for permission, before I took it." And with that Asim walked away.   
  
"What? You have the tile from Saillune?" asked Lina following him.  
  
"Yes, what's it to you?"  
  
"Well I was thinking may be we could join force, and.."  
  
"Why should I join you?"  
  
"More fire power."  
  
"I've been doing well by myself until now, thank you, so why do I need you?"  
  
"Well could you at least tell us what we are up against?"  
  
Asim stopped and seemed to be debating something. "Here isn't a good place to talk about it," he said at last "Where are you heading next?"  
  
"To Iliad," chimed Xellos.  
  
"Chard's closer," report Asim.  
  
"But it doesn't have a tile," Xellos wagged.  
  
"Yes, it dose, it holds the title of Earth, while Iliad holds the title of Air. Earth is closer than air when it comes to fire, but fire is always far away from water, but fire distance has nothing to do with light or dark," quoted Asim.  
  
"huh?" was the response he got from the group in front of him.  
  
"Never mind it's a long story," he sighed "So where were you planning on eating?"  
  
"Oh this way," replied Amelia.  
  
So that's how Asim join the Slayers, minus the arm twisting that happen at dinner. Soon the group found themselves heading to Chard, but something still bugged Xellos about Asim, what, he did not know but there was something. This little fact did not go pass Asim like it did the others, and due to this fact he kindly stayed out of Xellos's way. One night while the two were stuck on watch, Xellos, tried of being out of the loop decided to play 20/20 question with the new comer.  
  
"Who are you really?" he asked  
  
"Hum?" replied Asim as if he did not Xellos  
  
"Who are you really?"  
  
"I am who I say I am, nothing more, nothing less."  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
Asim shrugged.  
  
"Look, I know your holding something back; for one thing your not fully human I can tell you that much," growled Xellos.   
  
"While we're talking about holding back, what about you? Your not at all human, I can tell you that much," shot Asim.  
  
Xellos smiled "So you have noticed, and here I was hoping to have some fun."  
  
Asim sighed "Training has taught me better, sorry, besides it would be pretty bad if I did not know who the general/priest of the Lord Beast Master was, with my orders background, now would it?"  
  
Xellos nodded, "That doesn't answer my question though; who are you? What are you holding back?"   
  
"My secrets are my own, and are mine to revel when I see fit; now is not that time."  
  
"And when would that time be?"  
  
"You'll know when the times comes."  
  
"If you do anything to harm these people, you know I will kill you."  
  
"Why are you so protective of them? I thought mazokus as a rule never get attached to humans."  
  
"My reasons are my reason; enough said."  
  
Asim nodded, "So we are in agreement, to hide our secrets until we see the need to revile them."  
  
"Aye, it would seem that way. Just remember that you are dealing with the Lord of secrets, I won't be give mine away, like you will."  
  
"If you were to do that then I would have something far more worse to deal with, then what we are dealing with now" Asim laughed.  
  
Xellos smiled, may be this guy wasn't as bad as he first thought he was, but he still wasn't going to let his guard down yet; something was still off, and he would find out what sooner or later.   
________________________________________________________  
Mouse- That's that chapter, ouch, my figures. Any way I hope that clears up who Asim is, if not well review and complain. Any way it's time for a poll: How would you like for Zel to show up in the next chapter? If you want to see Zel in the next installment send a review with the word *Dream* in it; if you think I should continue without Zel, dear, send me a review with the word *Nightmare* in it.  
  
Recap: Zel in: *Dream*; Zel out *Nightmare*  
  
I want five reviews with replies to this question before I post again. So all you Zel fans send me your vote, and you may see Zel in the next chapter. By the way what do you folks think of Asim? Do you hate him; love him. Do you think he is a jerk? Does he seem oddly filmier to you, yet you don't know why? And do you think I should clue Xellos in on what is going on or do you like seeing him on the other side of the pole for once? Come on people talk to me; tell me what you think.  
  



	7. The Spirit Beside Me

***********************************  
  
Warning:  
  
You are now entering the Z/A portion of this fic.  
  
(It's not that bad; if you read it really fast.)  
  
You have been warned  
  
**********************************  
  
Amelia awoke from her slumber to find Asim and Xellos talking (about what she really can't hear), she sighed and rolled over in her sleeping bag. The air still held the faint aroma of Perry's coffee, and it was causing her to have troubles sleeping. Realizing that sleep wasn't going to come easy, she decide to go for a walk. A few moments later Asim got up to follow her.  
  
"Where do you think your going?" asked Xellos  
  
"To check up on Amelia," replied Asim "She been gone for a good while now."  
  
"I not think it would be a good idea to follow her right now."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Well, it's like this; we use to have another member in this group. To put it bluntly he died, natural cause, not to long ago and well she hasn't quit gotten over his death as of yet." Xellos said flatly   
  
"Oh,………" said Asim, as he continued on his way.  
  
"Asim."  
  
"Well, someone should look in on her at any rate, right?"  
  
Xellos sighed, humans, he would never fully understand them.  
  
  
  
~`*~`*~`*~`*   
  
  
  
Amelia had been setting in a small clearing for a while now, just looking up at the night sky. She recalled Zel doing this a lot when he was "alone", now she fully understand why, the emptiness that one feels by looking up there was enough to easy ones pain, she wished she could tell him that now.   
  
*/Every now and then,  
  
Soft as breath upon my skin,  
  
I feel you come back again,  
  
And it's like you haven't been  
  
Gone a moment from my side\*  
  
Lost in thought she didn't notice a figure, dressed in beige clothing, walk slowly up to her.  
  
*/Like the tears were never cried  
  
Like the hands of time are holding you and me\*  
  
She jumped when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, turning around she saw:  
  
  
  
"Zel? Zelgadis-san?"  
  
  
  
"Aye, Amelia, I'm here but I can only stay here for a short time," he replied.   
  
  
  
Amelia hugged him, pressing her face into his stone chest, crying, "I've missed you so much! Why? Why did you have to leave me?"  
  
*/And with all my heart I'm sure  
  
We're closer than we ever were  
  
I don't have to hear or see,  
  
I've got all the proof I need  
  
There are more than angles watching over me  
  
I believe  
  
Oh, I believe\*  
  
"Destiny is a funny thing Amelia, it doesn't work the way we want it, it works the way we did it to happen. Amelia, I didn't plan for this to happen, it just did, please ,Amelia don't cry any more. I didn't leave you, if you still remember me. My body may no longer be near you, but by sprit all always be close by, watching over you," he smoothed.  
  
"But I want you, alive. I liked you the way you was, why did you have going looking for your cure, if you felt the same way about me, as I did for you?"  
  
"Amelia…………..I went looking for my cure for you. When I first started to look for it, it was because I want to normal again, but after spending time with you, I…………. I want it be cured so I could hold you without fear of hurting you," he turned away from her, sorrow damping his words.  
  
  
  
*/Now when you die your life goes on  
  
It doesn't end here when you're gone  
  
Every soul is filled with light,  
  
It never end and if I'm right,  
  
Our love can reach across eternity  
  
I believe  
  
Oh, I believe\*  
  
"Zel, I never, I never knew."  
  
"It's not like I told any body."  
  
"Zel, hold me" she said quietly.  
  
*/Forever, you're a part of me  
  
Forever, in the heart of me  
  
I will hold you even longer if I can  
  
Oh, the people who don't see the most,  
  
Say I believe in ghosts  
  
If that makes me crazy than I am  
  
'Cause I believe  
  
Oh, I believe\*  
  
  
  
He did, gentle wrapping her in his arms. She pressed her face once more on his chest, noting how warm he was. Funny, she thought, I thought ghost where suppose to be cold and transparent, but Zel isn't like that at all. She sighed and snuggled closer to him, as her eyes became heavy and slow sleep came for her, while she was wrapped in his arms. Gentle he laid her in the grass, and started to walk away, he looked back one last time and then fade away.   
  
*/There are more than angels watching over me  
  
I believe  
  
Oh, I believe  
  
Every now and then,  
  
Soft as breath upon my skin,  
  
I feel you come back again,   
  
And I believe\*  
  
  
  
"Good-bye Zel-san," she yawned.  
  
How long she had been out she could tell, but she did wake up once Asim started shaking her shoulder.  
  
"Amelia, are you all right?" he asked, concern dancing across his eyes.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine. I just want to look at the stars, I must have fallen while doing so, I'm sorry for worrying you." she lied.  
  
"Oh, um, that o.k., but I think we should head back to camp now don't you?"   
  
"Yeah."  
  
So with that the two head back to camp.  
  
^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, else where, Ahriman was making his report.  
  
"I have the tile of fire, my Lord, and we have meet up with our othhher rival."  
  
"Oh, really, so who is this wild card we have in the game?" asked Loki  
  
"Hisss name isss Asssim, he claimsss to be from the order that sssealed 'her' away. He sssiadss that he iss after them in order to keep them sssafe. He'sss alssso not fully human. Hisss more like a mazoku, if you ask me. "  
  
"Dose he now, hum, as far as I know there was no order that actively sealed her way, it was just group of highly powerful shamanist that sealed her away. And he's not human you say, interesting, now what do you suppose the other mazoku are up to, hum. Any way what else do you have to report on?"  
  
"He hass join Lina Inaverssse and the are now heading to the next tile."  
  
"Good, this means we won't have to hunt for the tiles that we miss, they'll all be in spot." he laughed.  
  
^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^  
  
Back at camp Xellos was smiling as if he was just let in on the biggest secret of world. Both Asim and Amelia ignored this continue to act as if neither one saw the Trickster Priest. It wasn't until Xellos was sure that Amelia was asleep that he restated conversation with Asim.  
  
"And here I was thinking that had something to worry about; I must say you've really out done yourself this time," Xellos smirked.  
  
Asim turned to Xellos, dropping all of innocents in a heart beat, "If you say anything to any one, I will make you regret it. I have my reasons for doing this, and I would like for nothing else but to see that everything happens as plan."  
  
"Touchy, mind telling what that plan might be?"  
  
"You already know what you need know to know about, if you would like more information than I suggest that you talk to Zelas."  
  
"You know my mistress?"  
  
"Yes, and I had a lovely talk with her before I want on this thing, so can I count on you to keep your mouth shut?"  
  
"Yes, by the way you do know that there are loop holes in your story, right?"  
  
"About the order, yes I know, but how are they going to find out about that? It's not like it's written down anywhere," Asim replied with an icy stare.  
  
"I get the point. One more thing, you really…………."   
  
Xellos never finished the question, the green coloring that was spreading a crossed Asim face with enough to show that they where the same wave length as well as a good enough answer for him.   
  
________________________________________________________  
  
Mouse- Well you voted for it so here it is. Not what you thought it would be now is it? But Zel is in this chapter and that what you voted for. The song ( which appears in between the */,\*'s, ) is Diamond Rio's "I Believe". And don't worry I didn't let Xellos in on everything, he just knows who Asim really is, which, if you don't have clue as to who he is as of yet, you'll find out at the end of this fic. I do have a question for those of you who know more about this series than I do: Would Amelia introduce herself using her title if she was to do so in a informal setting? I what to know mainly so I can tell if Asim can use her title or not. If she doesn't give it, then he can't use it. Will it looks as if we're off to Chard next, and we still have three tiles after that and then it's climax time. Good I'm getting tried of holding things back. So until then read and review. I'm glade that my readers like what I'm doing, but if it not too much to ask for could you expand on the why. What is that I'm doing that you like, what (other than spelling and grammar) do you think I could improve on? I do read things you know and your reviews do help me out. So as I have said many time before; tell me what you think and I don't own The "Slayers" or it's character, nor do I own the Diamond Rio's song "I Believe". 


	8. Loki make a house call

The trip to Chard went well, a few bandits got blown up ( much to the dismay of Asim). However what tensions that were between Asim and Xellos seemed to disappear in a night, Amelia and Lina figured that the two finally talked out their different, but only the two in question really knew why the truce happen.  
  
Locating the temple the tile was in was easy enough, however as Lina put it so well:  
  
"How do we get the tile out?" was their biggest problem.  
  
"Simple, you read the poem and then say the spell," replied Asim.  
  
"What?!" was the general replied.  
  
"Here it is," he chirped.  
  
"Keeper of the fallen, equal taker and maker of all  
  
Indifferent to good or evil  
  
Creature of life, keeper of the dead  
  
Tiles of earth, made indifferent by their creature  
  
Now must decide  
  
Fate of all, lies near here  
  
Say the words to revile all."  
  
Asim nodded his head and then placed his hand over the tile, closed his eyes and said:  
"Earth below me, submit to my will, Dug Haut." There was no power placed on these, but the tile glowed just the same and then fall into Asim's hand.  
  
"How?" asked Lina.  
  
"The key to gathering these tiles is to know the code, or to know where to find the cheats. I know the later." he smiled.  
  
"Very nice, now I can see why you were such a problem," came a voice from behind them.  
  
Turning the saw a young man standing in the entrance way giving them a small round of applause.  
  
Xellos's face turned pale as he realized who the young man was; "Loki?!"  
  
The man smiled "It's nice to see you again too, Xellos. Why do you look so pale, Xellos, you really didn't think your old teacher would die so easily now did you?"  
  
Xellos could only stare ahead of him.  
  
"Anyway I only came here as a courtesy call," Loki grinned as held up a tile.  
  
"The tile of Air," shushed Asim.  
  
Loki nodded, "Now if you would kindly hand the others over..."  
  
"AS IF!" cried Asim.  
  
Loki looked at the young Shamanism as if seeing him for the first time, "So it's true," he mused and fade close to Asim " What are you really?" then he looked back at Xellos and laughed " Are secrets get to hard to hold on to Xellos?"  
  
This caused every one to look at Loki and Xellos with an odd glare, all that is but Asim, he saw an opening and took it. Hitting Loki's hand with a fireball.  
  
"What the?!" cried Loki as the shook off the flames, while still holding the tile.  
  
"Blast," hissed Asim under his breath.  
  
"So you want to fight," cooed Loki.  
  
"If ending your life, here and now, well put and end to this threat, then yes," smiled Asim.  
  
Loki laughed at this, then in one smooth move pinned Asim to the nearest wall using only one of his hands.  
  
"I'm afraid that you'll have to wait for that, besides I think you know what comes next; Spirit Shaman." and with that Loki faded sending Asim to the fall.  
  
"Out of all the rotten (ouh) luck," Asim cried as he picked himself up off the ground. "How could I be.. We need to get to Cypress as soon as possible, other wise everything well be.." he clasped.  
  
"Asim!" cried Amelia as she rushed to his side.  
  
"What happen?" Lina asked turning to Xellos.  
  
"Well, it's like this in order to release the tiles it takes certain amount of power. Asim used most of his power to release the tile, that add to the fireball equals fatigued, and a passing out." Xellos replied knowing that it wasn't the whole truth. More like Asim fight to not use his real powers caused the fatigued and the pass out, but Lina didn't need to know that. Like most mazoku children, Asim's want to show off his strength but he knew that would be a mistake, so he had to fight to keep it low, and out of notice, otherwise thing could have going badly for the group. Xellos could only muse over the whys and how much of that little act, but the others did not need to know is information so why share it?  
  
"O.K. that explains that," she motion to Asim and Amelia, "but what about Loki?"  
  
"Loki?" squeaked Xellos. "W-what's there to tell? He's jus-st the bad guy w-we must defeat."  
  
"Really? And that teacher crack, was to throw us off the trail; right?" she grinned.  
  
"R-right." Xellos tried to smile, but failed. He knew that this was something Lina was going to weasel out of him no matter what, the only question was how much to say without saying everything.  
  
"Xellos" she said as she place him in a headlock "TALK!"  
  
"It's like this," he gasped "Loki taught me very thing I know about keeping secrets/ dodging things. Besides that he was.. .Lina I need air. " Lina loosen her grip a little and he continued "He was Nemesse lackey. We all figured that he dyed years ago, not that he was ever a threat or anything, even with his Mistress's powers he was still a weakling, because she refused to give him much strength, but it looks like he has finally decide it was time to revive her. That's all I know; you can let go now."  
  
Lina sighed and let him go. This was getting complicated, and there was many unanswered question. But they did rest and food, so an inn look like the best thing to look for right now. "Gourry, pick up Asim, we're heading for an inn." she proclaim.  
  
___________________________________________________________________ Mouse- Well that's not what I had planed, I want a big battle, I want a battle, but no Asim just had to pass out! Oh well, there's the next chapter. Well, folks we're getting closer to the end now, and I'll finely tell you something, since it looks like I threw some of you for a loop with the last chapter, Zel is alive. What happen to him, where is he; you'll find out, shortly, but for those of you who need to know now, re-read chapter 3 then look at chapter7 (by the way Asim is the boy that Xellos saw in the inn). Get the hint? No? Then read on; I'm getting there. So until then read and review, and enjoy. 


	9. Zelgadis is back!

"Why do we did to go to Cypress?" asked Lina.  
  
"Because that's where the Spirit tile is; and with that tile Loki can call to him any loose tile, namely the ones we got, to him and we would be powerless to stop it." groaned Asim; power suction and being thrown up against a wall just wasn't a good combination.  
  
~`* So they're off to Cypress. Meanwhile Loki was setting up his finally plan; a.k.a.: setting up one powerful Spirit Shamanist with a tile. ~`*  
  
When they reached the temple everything was quiet, that eerie kind of quiet, the kind of quiet where you know things-are-going-to-wrong, add the fact that the place was empty and everyone on edge. Everyone that is but Xellos who left kind of suddenly early this day. The group walked carefully into the temple, being in full guard mode when, the doors slammed shut behind them as evil laughter rang though out the chamber.  
  
"I was being to wonder when you would show up?" Loki stated as he walked out of the shadows that hanged around the entrance way. While Ahriman prowled up to them from the alter.  
  
"Great" growled Lina "I was hoping for some action."  
  
"Then I won't dissssappoint you," replied Ahriman while looking like Lina.  
  
"What!" was the general statement of the group.  
  
"You know what to do Ahriman, as for you," Loki said as he faded in grabbed a stunned Asim by the neck and then faded out of the group and placing himself close to the alter "I need you to open a tile for me."  
  
"In your dreams pal, there's no way I'm going to help you," Asim chocked while struggling to get free.  
  
"Asim," cried Amelia only to get cut off by herself.  
  
"Don't you thhhhink you ssshould deal withhhhh your own demonssss firsssst?" it laughed at her.  
  
"Why you," she swung at it only to miss.  
  
Ahriman neatly duck below her fits and head butted her in the stomach, causing her buckle under the sudden lost of air.  
  
"Lina?" Gourry asked.  
  
" I know, I can't tell them apart either," she shouted back at him.  
  
So it was, much to Ahriman pleasure, he transform in and out of their forms sending them into a state of complete confuse.  
  
Meanwhile Loki was kindly showing Asim where the tile was.  
  
"You do know how this works don't you?" he asked  
  
"I think I skipped this one," was the reply  
  
"Then let me refresh your memory," he said as he shoved Asim up against one of the pliers "In order to release the last tile you need to be a strong Spirit Shaman. For you see this tile requires a taste of your 'spirit energy' in order to be released." He paused here to listen to Asim's cries of pain as the tile drained that power from him "Luckily for me the energy doesn't have to be give willingly, won't you agree?"  
  
Asim had stop yelling now, and the light that had surround him faded away. Loki smiled at the limb form in his hand, the faint touch of air on his hand told him that his captive was still alive.  
  
"Ahriman!" Loki cried out  
  
With that the Displacer shifted shape once more and while doing so he throw out a handful of vials filled with something.  
  
"Knock out gas," Lina managed to get out before falling victim to it's fumes like the rest of her party.  
  
"Good work, Ahriman, we'll take them back with us, they make great toys for the mistress when she wakes up." Loki smiled at our unconscious heroes.  
  
____________________________________________________________ ( Mouse- Bad guy one; god guys zero, wow this is going to be a short fic, no wait there's more. What they're not going to die? When are the villains going to learn that if your not going to kill the heroes out right that you keep them in so much pain that they can't willingly move?! Now back to the story, since my bad guys are complete idiots. )  
___________________________________________________________  
  
When Lina woke up she found herself in a small cell along with her friends who were also just waking up from the gas.  
  
"Where are we?" she asked.  
  
"It's nice to see your wake at last," replied a very pale looking Asim "To answer your question, I have no clue, but" he pause to reveal a set of thieves tools "I do have a way to get out of this cell so we can learn more about our where about."  
  
Lina gave him a smile "Well what are you waiting for, let's go!"  
  
Outside the cell the roamed around for awhile, until they came upon a large chamber with a purple crystal inside it.  
  
"I'm so glade you came," called Loki from behind them "Your just in time."  
  
"For what?" asked Lina.  
  
Her answer came as the crystal began to pulse with light, and hummed. The humming quickly grow louder and louder until it reached an deafening tone, then in a shower of light and dust there came a voice.  
  
"For my rain of pain to being."  
  
There standing in the remains of the crystal stood a young woman, her midnight black hair hanging just above the waist line, her eyes where like staring into two empty voids, and all around her hang an aura of complete destruction, it was one to would have made Death, himself, groan as realized the work load she would cause him to have.  
  
All the while one thought ranged though Asim's head "I could have turned into this, if only I had given in."  
  
The woman laughed "Looks like I get to start things off with Four weakling humans. You should feel honored you'll be the first people I'll have killed in ages." Smiled as she walked towards them.  
  
Asim took this opportunity to yawn.  
  
"Do you think you are better then me, human?" she sneered at him.  
  
Asim looked at her then let his eye wonder off to the side and nodded to himself.  
  
"I'm flattered but, who said I was human?" he smiled as is form changed shape slowly melting to revile his true form, who he really was; standing in his normal beige travel suit was Zelgadis. "And as much as would like to talk to you some more I think we need to get going. SUN LIGHT!"  
  
With that there was a flash was a bright light that filled the room and when it left so to was the captive. All that was lifted behind was the sent of two dragons and a mazoku. Nemesse smiled, she knew that they would meet again and then she would kill them, but as for now she had to decide where her first killing spree would take place. _______________________________________________________________________ Mouse- There finished, (with these two chapters) see Zel lives. You really didn't think I would kill him off now did you? Next up is the explanation as to what happen to him and what is going on so stay tune and review. 


	10. Let Me Explain

"What in the world is going no here?!" screamed the red head.  
  
"Not so loud Lina or you'll wake Val up from his nap." said Filia  
  
  
  
"You were suppose to have a nap?" question the dark lord as she looked at young Val over her cards.  
  
He shrugged "yeah" and pick a card from her hand.  
  
"What?!" screeched Filia.  
  
"You didn't say anything about it," replied Zelas.  
  
"Why did I leave a dark lord to look after kid," sighed Filia.  
  
"Would some one tell me what's going on here!" shouted Lina.  
  
"I would have gone you know."  
  
"Yeah right like I'm going to trust a dark lord and her lackey with this guys lives," huffed Milgasia.  
  
"And once more the dragons are shown as the racist lizards that they are," rolled Zelas.  
  
"WE ARE NOT RACIST!!" cried two gold dragons.  
  
"I could argue that," started Xellos  
  
"Stay out of this Trash," barked Filia.  
  
"Ah and once more my point is made," chirped Zelas.  
  
"If you guys don't tell me,... hey pay attention !" screamed Lina.  
  
"VISA FRANK!"  
  
Well that caused the whole room to go quite, and just in time to see Zel holding his jaw and take a step back as well as a enraged princess with glowing fist.  
  
"You where alive the whole time and you couldn't tell me! I spent all this time crying over you, thinking you where dead! All the while you where alive! Why I aught to... Why I should.. Ohhh!" steamed one very mad Amelia.  
  
"Hey it isn't all my fault! I can't help it if someone jumped to conclusions with out doing an aura test first! If he had I would have been able to tell you, but no these guys" Zel yelled back at her while pointing to Zelas and Milgasia "thought that if Loki found out that I was still kicking that would raise some eyebrows and cause more trouble. So the had me remain dead and don't think I had it easy with this two watching over me. That just the tip of the iceberg of all the insults they can throw at each other, if you think my cursing is bad you should listen to them for a while."  
  
"o.k. Zel maybe you should have a cup of coffee and Amelia should have some tea and someone should tell us what the bloody hell is going on here!" stated Lina.  
  
"Lina watch your mouth," snapped Filia, "I'll go make drinks, you still take your coffee black right Zelgadis?"  
  
"No I don't take coffee at all now, someone took me off of it," he replied giving Milgasia a death glare, "I'll take tea."  
  
"O.K." and with that she left.  
  
"So what do you want to know? There's a bad guy, you deal in killing off bad guys, you kill of said bad guy, the world is saved and we can go on with our lives as if nothing had happen." stated Zelas.  
  
"I think the mean what's going with Zelgadis, mistress, and how that applies to what's going on." replied Xellos.  
  
"Oh, well in that case dose anyone know why mazokus kill humans/dragons/anything-else- that-alive-and-we-feel-like-turning-into- demon, before turning them into demons? Trust this applies to this case," said Zelas.  
  
Xellos waved his had wildly, Zel gave him an annoyed look, Gourry was paying attention to Val and Amelia and Lina just gave her blank looks.  
  
"No they don't, and you know that Zelas," complained Milgasia.  
  
"Well in that case, it's like this: in order to make them our lackeys, as someone once put it, we first must make sure there is an empty shell for the mazoku essence to enter into, if the body is already inhabited the mazoku half and the half of what is left of that being will fight make the being uncontrollable, more likely then not they'll in up going on a killing spree until what is left of this first being's soul dyes taking the mazoku half with it. Has fun has this sound it is very wasteful; so we just don't do it. However if the being accepts the mazoku half, it will become a source of chaos and destruction, in short Nemesse. Now the same can be said in Zel's case, the only difference is that they got trapped in a pretty little cage," Zelas smiles over to Zel. Zel rolls his eyes. Zelas continues "His mazoku side was content to remind hidden as long as Rezo was alive, once he was out of the picture, it decide that it should be the one pulling the strings, the human side said no and we get and inner war, but instead of have the mazoku essence in him he had one third of the kit and caboodle of a mazoku in short : he is possessed, this left him to fight it inward, the poor thing. Any way this would be why the 'cure' is so important to him, but years of no cure leaves time for it to destroy you inwardly."  
  
"So I did a very dangerous from of astral planning and kick it's tail. Big deal, can we move on now?!" asked Zel.  
  
"Wait! you were fighting this demon the whole time and you didn't tell anyone?" asked Lina.  
  
"No, mainly do to the fact that I knew that none of you could help me, so why should I burden you with this problem," he stated.  
  
"It would have... No wait it wouldn't have. Okay so you got a point, but still it would have been nice to know," she stated back.  
  
"Good now that's done I think we should all head over to Saillune" chirped Zelas.  
  
"Why?" asked Amelia.  
  
"Because, Nemesse is destroying it as we speak," she continued.  
  
"What?!"  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Mouse- Sorry it took so long but it's here now, so.. Review! And I hope this clear some things up; if not complain.  
  
Xellos: Are you forgetting about something? Mouse: (Looks chapter over) No, at least I don't think so; and get out of my author's notes.  
  
Xellos: Not until you tell me where your "else" clause is.  
  
Mouse: Else cause, else cause....oh you mean that little thing in the summary where I asks if something else is going on other than what you see?  
  
Xellos: Yes.  
  
Mouse: It's coming, so don't worry about. Now OUT! Or I'll sing 'Happiness Is'  
  
Xellos: You wouldn't.  
  
Mouse : Oh, yes I would. (smiles evilly) 'O, happiness is tying your..'  
  
Xellos: Fine. (leaves)  
  
C.D.: What was that all about?  
  
Mouse: Nothing, ready for your big role in the next chapter?  
  
C.D.: Yep!  
  
Mouse: Good once it's written it'll be up, until then, later.  
  
C.D.: Bye and don't forget to review. (off to the side) Bug her and maybe she'll get it up faster this time.  
  
Mouse: I heard that.  
  
C.D.: Later.^_^ 


	11. The End of Zel, WHAT!

Saillune was all a blaze with death and destruction when our fair heroes arrive (via a spell that Zelas used on them) at the castle. The only thought on Amelia's mind was her Farther as she and the others dashed in, all that is but Zel.  
  
'Blast she's not here' he thought 'then where..'  
  
Zel smiled her knew where she was; yes at last it was time to have his fun. Finally the mask could be broken, and the truth seen, all that was need was to kill Nemesse.  
  
~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~****~~~~~*****~*~*~*~**~~*~  
  
Inside the palace the group raced to the thorn room where Loki was having fun with his new toy named, Prince Phil.  
  
"Farther!" cried Amelia.  
  
And so a new battle began.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~**~~***~~~***~~~*  
  
"Hello Nemesse, having fun watching our lackey play?" came a cold lifeless voice.  
  
Nemesse spun around to meet the and equally cold face made of stone.  
  
"You! You're the human that back talked me," she grawled.  
  
"Oh you should know me better than that," he smiled "remember you killed me before I had a chance to be; I was that, that was born out of the destruction of the great lords."  
  
Nemesse's eyes wide "Who, no What are you?!"  
  
The form of Zelgadis Greywood laughed "Now demon there no to fear me, yet. I am known as Chaos. I was born to set the world right with it's self, and me first real act is to kill, how nice of the fools to leave you for me."  
  
"How can this be?" coward Nemesse.  
  
"Oh it just is my dear," he smiled "See your act left me with time to hide and learn, but now with the meddling of your creator, I have been forced to walk this plane trapped in a vassal whose soul care not to live nor die. IF not for me the form that now stands before you would have been lost to the world, and I would not have the means to stop you."  
  
He paused and looked at the city below them, "Your lackey is dead and it is time that you join him."  
  
With that he sent a powerful blast through Nemesse killing her quickly. At last it was done and Chaos was free.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~**~***  
  
"Where's Zel?" asked Amelia.  
  
"I don't know it's not like Zel to miss a fight," replied Lina, during the after math of their fight with Loki.  
  
"I'll go find him," smiled Xellos as he faded away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~**~***  
  
Xellos found him in a clearing out side of Sillune.  
  
"Now Zel didn't your mother ever tell you." Xellos trailed off as he meet Zel's eye, they where cold lifeless now, like very drop of hope had been wrung out of him. "What's wrong?"  
  
"The being own as Zel is dead, you where right the first time, Xellos. What stand here is only his from, nothing less, nothing more; however just as Rezo was cursed so was he. For years we have shared this form, suffered through the change together, but when the darkness was at last to much, his soul broke, leaving me to do as I wish with it," was the reply given to him.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Xellos.  
  
"I am Chaos, and for now this is all you know, I have not forgotten your agreement, my secrets are for you to know when I see fit. I know I have no right to ask you this, but please tell the others something, other than the truth for now, the meant a lot to him; he would not want them to know. And please encourage the Princess to have a life and not to wait on him, for he won't becoming back, ever." Chaos paused and looked at Xellos "He ended his life for their sake you know, if he hadn't, if he had let the darkness win, you and I would be have a different conversation right now. Kind of ironic, no, for one to do little bit look for a cure, to unknowingly save the world with the giving of his life for the sake of his friends, friends who knew not of his pain nor that he called them as such, yet he save them, because the gave him their friendship to him without looking at what he was."  
  
And with that he left, leaving one stunned Xellos to break the news  
that Zelgadis was never going to retune to them again.  
  
Mouse- Yeah I know that the author thing read Mouse 13, but it is I the one and only Mouse, so what do you think? Should I go on or leave it here? And here all you Zel funs thought that he was a live and kicking. Any way REVIEW or this might be the end.  
  
So press that button now and tell me what you think.  
  
Bye, thanks for the fun, signed;  
  
Mouse. 


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